o 

ULS. Departmen t o f Assistant Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

ItansportCrtion Washington, DC 20590 

Office of the Secretary 

ofTrarvjportation ^^ p ^ ^ 2011 

•h^r n 

HJ 

Mr. F. Norman Bafiinno '^\ 

President o 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Inc. ^ _ ._ 

4000 S. Tulip Tree Drive ^ ^c> o 

Princeton, IN 47670 --' :5 

r-o 

Dear Mr. Bafunno: 

Thank you for your letter to Secretary LaHood supporting the proposal submitted by the 

Evansville-Vanderburgh Airport Autiiority District for a grant under the Small 

Conmiunity Air Service Development Program (Small Community Program). The 

Secretary has asked that T respond on his behalf 

The Small Conmiunity Program was established to help smaller communities address air 

service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares and insufficient service. 

Under the statute, the Department may use the funds to make a maximum of 40 grant 

awards each year, although no more than four may be to communities in the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides significant flexibility in how the financial assistance 

may be used. 

On July 1, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in 

receiving a grant this year file their applications by August 2. As these grant requests are 

pending before the Department, I am sure you understand that I cannot comment on the 

merits of any particular proposal. I assure you, however, that the Department will give 

full consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2011-0119 as a contact outside the record of this matter. I appreciate your 

interest in this program. If I can provide fiirther information or assistance, please feel 

fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

Susan L. Kurland 

Assistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
S1()-1I()S26-(I 

TOYOTA 

Toyottt Motor Manufacturine, 

liKfisna, ITK. 

4000 S.Tulip Tree Drive 

Princeton, IN 47670 

812-^7-2000 

August 2.2011 

TIMS Honorable Ray LaHood 

ScCTCtary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Traitsportation 

400 7* Street, S.W., Washmgton, DC 20590 

Dear Mr. LaHood: 

Toyota Motor Mamifecturing, Indiana offers its support fw a Stnali ComrraJDity Air Service 

Devdqmuait Grant application submitted by the EvansviUe-Vanderburgh Airport Authority 

Distria. 

Toyota Indira has been doing busina» in the Tri-StiMe for more than 15 years. Our 4,100 team 

mcrobcrs and their fimuUes, along with suppliers, officers from Toyota Motor Coip. in Japan and 

represoitatives from Toyt«a*s North American mamt&coiring and nrnrketing companies, teive 

used the services of Evansville Regional Airport. As a major manufectarer and an afBliate of a 

large global company, our travel needs are si^iificant. Thcreft)re, we strongly support efforts to 

ia^rove the frequency and effici«sicy of air travel in and out of Evanaxdlle. 

Beyond our own needs, a -wbrant airport with good air service is inqxniant to the entire business 

community and critical to the growth of our n^on. Receittiy, we have seen airlines scale back 

sennicc because of the recession, making business travel diflScuU. Inlemational travel has become 

particiUarly challenging at a time when <Hir community is wwking hard to iiKrease global 

business. The limited number of carrios and flights las axxeased local &res to fbe point that 

people are driving two to ttow hours one way to fly (Wt of other airport. 

lite grant our airport leadoshtp is seeidng will be a valuable tool to sdl our community to new 

airlines, particularly within the Star Alliance, which would pkce Evansville on the inteniationa} 

travd map. Addmg a new carrier also promises to bring doiwn feres to a more aGcqpuble level, 

thus stimulating the local travel market. 

lliank you fCH- considerit% this worthy request. 

Sincerely, 

F. Norman Bafiinno 

President 

TOYOTA 

Da 

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